When it's Quiet, The Decision
by Quarkie
Summary: A SamJack story that veers from the original timeline at Divide and Conquer, this story takes place during and after Chain Reaction. It is a companion piece to the story When it's Quiet. This is the story behind Sam's decision.


This is the prologue for another story of mine When it's Quiet. Which starts when Sam returns more than four years later.

_This opening scene is from Chain Reaction Season 4, episode 15. _

"I've had enough. I wanted you all to be the first to know." George Hammond was informing them.

"I'm sorry sir, what are you saying?" Daniel voiced the question they all had on their minds.

Hammond continued, "Effective immediately I am stepping down as commander of the SGC."

Sam Carter dreaded those words. No more than anyone else in the room, but she was pretty sure she was the only one here who felt the need to run to the bathroom and throw up. His presence here, gave her peace of mind and now he was leaving. She had had many commanding officers over her career in the Air Force, but General Hammond was different. Besides having known him longer than she'd ever admitted to anyone, every team knew that Hammond would be there watching their backs. She feared that things were about to change.

--------------

There was a faint hint of dawn barely visible outside and the glow of the television illuminated her dark kitchen, Sam stood at the counter eating a piece of toast and sipping her coffee while watching the news. But she was not paying attention to the news, she was thinking about another day at the SGC with no General Hammond. These last few days had been difficult for everyone. Daniel had a desk job, Teal'c was with SG-3, she was building a bigger, better bomb, and Jack, well she wasn't certain where Jack was. But, Daniel told her Jack was working on getting Hammond back.

She picked up her travel mug to fill it with the remaining coffee in the pot. _Not again._ She urgently ran to the bathroom to throw up the coffee and toast. She looked at the travel mug she had put down on the bathroom counter and the thought of coffee made her throw up the rest of her breakfast.

She grabbed a washcloth from the shelf and doused it with cool water from the tap. Then gently wiped her mouth, in hopes of doing little damage to the slight bit of make-up she wore when she was not going off world. She ran the washcloth over the back of her neck and wondered when she was going to get over this bug.

It had been dragging her down, off and on, for about two weeks and maybe now she should mention it to Janet. Every time she had thought to mention it before she was feeling better so she didn't.

As she looked at her reflection in the mirror the unusual reactions and feelings she had been experiencing the last couple of weeks started to come together: her fatigue, tearing up when the first attempt to bring the X-301 home failed, feeling squeamish at the site of a dead symbiote when Janet did the autopsy, and throwing up the last three mornings in a row.

"No. I couldn't be."

Sam knew she was late, she skipped months before, sometimes several since Jolinar. That in of itself had never been a trigger of concern for her. There were only two possibilities to consider, the first was nearly four months ago when she married Jack O'Neill. That was something she could only say in her head, it made her smile incessantly and then people would ask why she was smiling, so she tried to avoid thinking about when she married, yes Jack O'Neill. She said it again in her head and smiled. But that was too long ago.

The second possibility was much more likely. About three months ago on P3R-118 when they didn't know who they were. Her and Jack decided to leave that little indiscretion out of the mission report.

"You're over-reacting, that's not it. It's a virus and stress, that's all." She pushed the thought out of her head, _or tried_ anyway.

Once in the mountain Sam launched herself into her work. Daniel came in to check on her and brought her lunch, which he often did when Jack was not on base to make sure she ate. Jack and Daniel were good about keeping her fueled, especially through the difficult times when she wrapped herself up in a project and had no concept of the passage of time. This time when she thought of the gesture she was overcome by how sweet it was of him to do that for her and tears formed in her eyes. _Oh For Crying Out Loud!_ She thought at the mushy feeling inside of her. Thankful that Daniel had already left.

She ate the sandwich and banana, then dived back into building the bomb. Her sympathies with Einstein's dilemma were now shared. Sure she was military, but like most scientist she preferred when her work leant to saving lives rather than destroying them.

Sam considered staying on base, but the thought of her own bed energized her just enough to get out of the building. A deep feeling of fatigue saturated her bones as she settled into the seat behind the wheel. She stretched her neck to the left and then to the right, then leaned her head forward on to the steering wheel. 'Maybe I should have laid down for a few minutes before I left the base,' she thought. But she forced her head up and put the car in gear. On the way home she pulled into the drug store and purchased the item she hoped would ease her mind.

When she walked into the house it was dark, barely any light visible in the sky. The couch was so warm and inviting with the throw draped over the back. She put the briefcase and the bag from the store on the table in front of her, and laid down. She needed to sleep.

When she woke up it was completely dark. Sam sat up and turned on the light next to the couch. She squinted her eyes as the light illuminated the living room, including the coffee table before her cluttered with the things she had brought in. She raised her hand to her forehead, ran it over her hair, and down the back of her neck. As her brain emerged from the lethargy of sleep, the bag before her swiftly re-acquainted her with reality.

It was 20 minutes until 2200. She stood up and went into the kitchen opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water and started looking for dinner. Peanutbutter crackers sounded surprisingly good. She took a drink and ate a cracker. So far, so good.

She returned to the couch and stared at the bag. Then gained the courage to open it and read the instructions while eating another cracker. It said best if used in the morning, but she had a feeling that with the symptoms she was experiencing her hormone levels would probably be high enough at anytime of day. Another cracker, a sip of water, a deep breath and she walked to the bathroom.

In no time at all she was standing at the counter washing her hands avoiding looking at the stick. She looked instead at the dark circles under her eyes. Panic kept creeping up on her and she kept chanting _You don't know anything yet_. _You don't know anything yet_. She looked at her watch, the recommended two minutes had passed. She glanced over and clearly saw the line. Now it was time to panic.

"No. Not now. Not now. No." Her hands wrapped around her mid-section and she slid to the cold tile and cried. Her concerns hit her in small waves. Her work, her career, Jack, his career, how he would take this, how she could do this, her lack of experience with children, her life being incompatible with the demands of raising a child the way her mother had, the way she felt they deserved to be raised. Sam had always believed she could have it all someday, but suddenly she feared that in reality she couldn't do it all.

The crying steeped into a darkness where no one image flashed anymore. She was left only with the overwhelming feeling of despair as she drifted off to sleep on the bathroom floor. Sometime later she awoke and realized she had to get off the cold floor, she stumbled to her bedroom and laid down pulling the cover from the side over her, not even taking the time to turn down the bed or change her clothes she drifted off quickly once again.

The alarm startled her. Her mouth felt unusually dry. Oh ick, she remember that she had not brushed her teeth. Oh and then there was that other thing, she was pregnant, with her CO's baby.

She slammed her head back into the pillow. Then forced herself up and walked into the bathroom. She threw away the pregnancy test still on the counter. The open bag of crackers was still on the table in the kitchen. She grabbed two and turned on the coffee pot, then thought better of it and turned it off. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. A few more crackers later she was pulling on her running shoe. She finished off the water and ran out the door. She ran as fast as she could; each conversation she needed to have played in her head, Jack, her Dad, General Hammond, no not General Hammond, General Bauer. More dread. She finished her run, showered and head to work armed with crackers in her purse.

"So how's it going?"

"Excuse me?"

"The bomb, Sam? Are you alright?"

"Yeah fine, just this whole project is…" she trailed off knowing Daniel didn't need her to finish.

"I know. You ready for the big test?"

"No, but do I have a choice?"

"We always have choices, Sam; even if they are difficult choices." She felt like he was reading her mind.

"Thanks Daniel. I need to get these final calculations done and get down to the Gateroom."

"I'll leave you to it. If there's anything I can do, let me know." She knew he was talking about the Bauer-bomb situation, but it meant so much more to her today.

He left and she buried herself back into her work except to sneak a cracker or two here and there before she headed to the Gateroom.

--------------

"What a day!" she collapsed on the couch. Grateful that the gate had shut down at the 38 minute window and at least the mountain was still intact.

She picked up the phone and called Jack's house. No answer, just the machine. She hung up.

They were in so much trouble. Sure she got pregnant on a mission where she had no recollection of the rules and regulations. That was certainly enough of an extenuating circumstance, but they were married and although conventionally that was a good coincidence. In this particular situation, it looked bad. It looked really bad.

Would Jack think she did this on purpose? What would happen to Jack's career? What would happen to her's? She wrapped her arms around her waist. "Little one, you do not have good timing. I think we will have to name you Daniel." She smiled and leaned her head back on the couch.

She could quit. If she never had to see them at work again, it would be a while before any news got back to them. Maybe no one would care after a while. She could teach anywhere, but Jack wouldn't let her quit. He would insist that he should, but then she would be pregnant at work and that is something you can't keep hidden very long and then people would start to talk and then what. What if she and Jack decided make a go of it and they were court-martialed.

Back and forward, back and forth, like a tennis match in her mind the scenarios played themselves out and she determined that there was only thing she could do. Quit, without discussing it with Jack and hope that out of sight, she would be out of mind enough that no one would bother with either of them.

Armed with a plan. Her world slowly fell back into place. Not in the place she expected it to be this morning, but at least she had a handle on this and could take care of herself and the baby. She was glad she had not reached Jack. He would argue with her and try to retire himself, and that she decided was not the best option. They needed him and if they needed her, she would be there to help them out somewhere nearby.

She typed up her resignation and went into work.

--------------

She looked around her lab. Silently saying goodbye to her workplace of the last four plus years. Tears ran down her face. "Damn hormones." She made her way up to the General's office, thankful not to see any of her team mates along the way. She was emotionally fragile. A feeling she was unfamiliar with and it made her nervous. When she reached the General's office she knocked.

"Sir?"

"Hello Major." The smiling Texan greeted her.

"It's good to see you Sir. You're back?" she said surprised to see General Hammond back in his office.

"Yes, I am. Sorry about all of the trouble."

"No trouble sir, just glad to have you back." She genuinely was. This was much better than having to do this with General Bauer. He could help her get through this and protect Jack, maybe there was a chance. She closed the door. "Sir, I'm sorry to do this but," She held the folded letter to him.

"Major Carter?" He took the letter and opened it. "Can you tell me what this is about?"

"Please Sir, just accept it." She pleaded.

"I can't do that. I need an explanation Major." She looked resolutely determined to not explain, but he saw the tears form in her eyes. He feared the NID had taken another route to destroy the SGC. The loss of Samantha Carter would be a big blow. "Samantha, you need to explain this."

His fatherly tone, sent her over the edge. She fell apart unable to hold back the flood of emotions and fears made worse by the hormones. "I'm pregnant, Sir." She was barely able to speak the words through her sobs.

Whoa. He did not see that one coming. He sat down, dumbfounded.

The tears just kept flowing. "I'm sorry sir the hormones are making me a mess."

He didn't know what to ask; he was afraid that he already knew the answers.

"I need to leave the SGC sir. It's for the best."

"Lots of women work her though their pregnancies Major. You'll have to be temporarily taken off the mission roster, but there is still plenty for you to do here. We still need you here."

"No sir, I need to leave the SGC." She looked at him, hoping he would understand without her having to say the words aloud. But he just looked at her for more. "It would be better for _all_ concerned."

It took a moment, when he responded he was loud and it startled her. "Son of a…GUN!" He yelled pushing off from the desk. "Just when I think that man has exhausted my last bit of patience – he pushes it to the next level."

She smiled tight lipped, glad she did not have to voice her confession out loud, yet. He got it.

"Major?"

"P3R-118, sir. When they stamped our memories." She offered in the way of an explanation.

He calmed a bit. Okay there were unusual circumstances here. Maybe they could work with this. He breathed, pierced his lips. Thought through the process, the explanations, the inquiry….Kinsey.

"That's not all sir." She was going to have to tell him. She could see him going out on a limb for them and she didn't want to see him fall too. "We're………we were…..what I mean to say is…..we're married." He simply lowered his head into his hands defeated. "We didn't plan any of this sir, I didn't mean to put you in this position, I….I really need to leave the SGC. As I said it's best for all concerned."

"How long?" How long had he been a fool. He saw the looks, but thought they had enough self-control.

"Sir, we've been married for four months. I am about 10 weeks pregnant. Although I haven't seen a doctor, I am confident of the date." She responded, hoping she had answered his ambiguous question correctly.

"No one knows except you and Jack?" He couldn't believe the man could stand here in his office not an hour ago with this going on and not say a thing.

"No sir, he doesn't know about the baby."

He paced. She knew he was trying to fix it. "Major, can you give me a few days to see what I can do." He paused, but she did not answer. "Please."

"Yes sir." It was the least she could do.

"Can you wait before you tell Colonel O'Neill. I just need to…I need a few days and I can't have him running off and complicating things."

"Yes sir." She smiled. Jack did have a way of complicating things.

"And Major?"

"Yes Sir?" He walked over and took her hands in his. The woman was carrying a huge burden all on her own. A woman he thought of like a daughter and he thought he had better not add to her stress.

"Congratulations, you are going to be a great mother."

"Tha-" She tried to say _thank you,_ but the tears started flowing. She really, really hated this part.

--------------

Three days after she had talked to Hammond, he called her to his office.

"General."

"Any moment now-" was all he got out as they were beamed aboard Thor's ship. "we will be- or rather Thor is here."

She looked around confused, they were off the mission list and since when did Hammond board Asgard vessels.

"Thank you for coming Thor." General Hammond greeted one of their favorite alien allies.

"You are welcome General Hammond. Welcome Major Carter."

"Thank you Thor, what can we do for you?" She asked, then her father came in to the room.

"Actually Sammie, it's what Thor is willing to do for us."

"Dad?"

"Hi Sweetie." His hands reached up to her upper arms and pulled her in to kiss her on the cheek. "I am sorry things worked out this way, but when George called me."

She looked at General Hammond and then closed her eyes in embarrassment, she felt like a kid who's school principal called her father.

"Dad?"

"It's okay Sammie, Selmack and I will do what ever we can for you."

"I don't need you to come to my rescue. I've been taking care of myself for quite a while now."

But he pleaded with her, "Give us a chance and hear us out Sam." She gave way and listened.

General Hammond started, "When I resigned, it wasn't for the reasons I gave. The NID called me and asked that I be a little more aggressive with my policies. I told them absolutely not. A few days later Tessa and Kayla were picked up from school by two men in plain clothes and driven around in an unmarked black car. They took my granddaughters for a little ride and brought them home. The girls were fine, but I got the message and resigned." One of Sam's arms unconsciously wrapped her abdomen. She couldn't believe they could go to such lengths. "Jack came to visit me. I told him what had happened. He looked at the girls and the look on his face told me he was about to do something he probably shouldn't. I told him not to get into trouble over this, but you know Jack."

She smiled and bit her lip, yes she did.

"I don't know exactly what he did, other than give me a disk of incriminating evidence on Senator Kinsey to hold on to. I was re-instated. I know that he worked with Maybourne. I have strong reason to believe that he got his hands dirty on this one."

She wasn't naïve; she knew enough of Jack's record to know what he was capable of.

"I do know that right now Kinsey is like a shark out for blood. I fear you are the blood in water Major. In addition to that I have another concern that was proffered by Dr. Fraiser sometime ago. She brought it to my attention that should you some day have a child the naquadah in your blood may be passed on to your child and that could be of interest to some in the NID."

Thor injected, "Also Major Carter there are many enemies of earth that may also take interest in these children."

"Children, Thor?" Jacob asked.

"Major Carter is carrying two children." If she had been a fainting woman that would have been a good time to faint. Sitting down though seemed like a good idea, so she back up to a step, and sat down, then put her face in her hands. She was not going to cry this time, but she was concerned that she may start laughing inappropriately."

"You alright Sam," her father asked concerned.

"Can this get anymore ridiculous?" The room was quiet. They all tried to give Sam a moment to adjust to the news and all of their concerns.

George was the first to break the silence. "We don't want to tell you what to do. But Kinsey is willing to sacrifice the Stargate program and I am afraid that I just can't let that happen."

"No sir, you can't. Neither can I.. What do you want me to do?" Sam did not want to be the reason the Stargate program was compromised.

"Thor," George invited Thor to put forth his offer.

"Major Carter, I would welcome you to embark on a mission as science liaison with the Asgard and our allies. We would offer you access to certain technologies, and allow you to share them with earth. I would provide you with the safety of the Asgard and their allies."

"In exchange for what?" She trusted Thor, but didn't understand what she could offer in return.

"You and Colonel O'Neill have offered your help without reservation when we have been in need. But there are more selfish reasons. Your perspective can provide us with new approaches to the eradication of the replicators and O'Neill carries the ancient gene. His offspring could provide us with valuable genetic information."

"You want to study my children?" Sam asked incredulously.

"Only through non-evasive scans." Thor reassured her.

"They would not be harmed in any way."

"No Major Carter."

"What are our other options?" She addressed Hammond.

"I am afraid, I can think of no other option at this time. Even if you don't go on record with who the father is, I don't see Jack sitting back and pretending not to be their father."

"I don't see that either." She admitted. He wouldn't abandon his children for any lofty noble reason. "He won't agree that this is the best solution either. And, even if by some remote possibility he did, he wouldn't sit back and wait." At this point she was thinking out loud. "Who will know?

"Us and the President." George informed her.

She wished she had more time to think about it, but she knew she could not think of another viable solution if she had all the time in the world and she was starting to feel the difference in her belly. She was going to start showing soon.

She didn't know what to do. The chance to study the technology of the Asgard and their allies alone was too good of opportunity. Her children would be safe. Jack would be safe from Kinsey until they could find another way.

"In the meantime Sam we'll try and find another solution." Her father reassured her.

"Okay." She answered in a very quiet voice.

"Before you return them Thor can I have a private moment with my daughter?" Jacob requested.

"Certainly."

George went to talk to Thor and Jacob sat on the step next to his daughter. "Sam I am really sorry things turned out this way."

"So am I Dad." She looked up at him just then realizing she let her Dad down. "I am really sorry Dad."

"Hey you aren't apologizing for my grandchildren are you?"

She smiled, no one could deny that Jacob loved his grandchildren.

"You don't seem surprised."

"I am and I'm not. You think I haven't seen a man look at you the way he does?" She looked away embarrassed at the thought of people noticing. At first she thought it was her imagination or the way he treated everyone, but after sometime she knew. "But, that wasn't what really concerned me. No what worried me was that I had never seen you look at anyone that way. That's when I got nervous."

And, if she thought she was embarrassed before she had no idea. "I'm that transparent Dad."

"No Sammie, I'm your Dad. The first time I met him and saw the two of you together I thought I was just imagining things. The more I got to know Colonel O'Neill the more it scared me that I was right, and then as I got to know him even better I hoped that someday things would work out for your happiness. I had a lot of happy years with your mother. You deserve the same."

"But, not yet."

"No I'm sorry, not yet. You going to be alright with this?" Jacob looked around the stark room of the Asgard vessel.

"Yeah, more worried about being alright with this." She patted her belly.

"You'll be fine." He put his arm around her shoulders. "You know your mother was terrified when she found out she was pregnant with your brother." She looked up at him surprised. "Happy, but terrified. The fact that you care about being a good mother Sammie, is the beginning of being one. You're going to be a wonderful mother, just like your mother was."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I hope so Dad."

"I am going to go with Thor and help him make arrangements for you aboard this ship and plan for your long term needs. Have you ever tasted Asgard food?" he made a face at her.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Well I will make sure you're stocked with human food. Professionally this is a wonderful opportunity Sam."

"I know. At least I will have plenty to keep me busy." She smiled. He kissed her forehead and reassured her.

"George, Thor." Jacob called to them to let them know she was ready.

"Major Carter, may I return in five of your days' time to retrieve you?

"Yes." She answered in a stronger voice.

Sam and General Hammond were beamed back into the conference room. As they walked toward Hammond's office, Jack came bounding up the stairs. "There you are Carter, I was just looking for you. T says it's lunch time and since you blew us off yesterday he's feeling slighted and asked me to make sure you join us today." She looked to General Hammond.

"Are we done for now sir?

"I think so Major. Why don't you come back by my office around 1600 hours?"

"Yes sir."

--------------

A few days later Jack was looking forward to going off world. He was antsy. The next mission was just standard recon, but you couldn't save the world every day. He entered his favorite scientist's lab.

"You wanted to see me, Carter"?

"Yes Sir, here."

"What's this?"

"My resignation…from SG-1." He was shocked, how could he not see that coming? At first he thought she was joking, but he saw she was quite serious.

"I won't accept it." he pushed it across the table and shoved his hands into his pockets defiantly. What was this a resignation epidemic? First Hammond and now Carter? He had just got things back to the way they were supposed to be.

"Sir, I've been reassigned."

"What? Where?" He started to make his way toward the door. He was going to have a chat with Hammond about this.

"I am going to work with the Asgard." He stopped and turned around. She knew he would expect nothing less could take her away from SG-1.

"For how long?" He asked suspiciously.

"I don't know." She answered in a quiet un-Carter like voice.

"We weren't going to discuss this-" He really didn't want to seem chauvinistic about this, she didn't have to ask his permission, he just wanted her here with him. As if they had discussions like a normal married couple would on anything. They couldn't even acknowledge their marriage existed, much less act within the parameters of such a relationship.

"Don't," she pleaded. She was losing her battle to stay strong and stick to the plan. She was afraid any minute she would blurt it out. If she did maybe they could figure out something, someway. She reminded herself, those conversations had been exhausted.

"Sam-"

"Colonel, please-" He looked into her eyes and saw how red they were. He could tell she had been crying. He softly started, "You don't have to do this-" but he knew she hadn't made this decision lightly. She didn't make any decision lightly. Her eyes were begging him not to make this more difficult. He didn't want her to leave, but he couldn't hold her back. He smiled to reassure her, "You're the best person for the job, Carter." She smiled, but he could tell it was only half-hearted. He heard voices in the corridor.

"Well keep your head down and good luck Major. You'll be missed." The last part he said more quietly. He walked out, knowing that if he didn't leave then, he was going to really mess things up.

When he left she cried some more, as softly and discreetly as she could. Not sure if she could still blame it on hormones. If anything deserved a good cry, this was probably up there.

--------------

She knew they would come and about an hour later Daniel came to her lab. "Sam, Jack told us about your new assignment. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Sorry, nothing was certain."

"Wow, I thought they were against sharing their technology."

"Well the help I gave with the replicators showed that we have something to offer in return. I'll provide my input and they'll let me tinker around with some of their stuff. They'll still determine what information I can send back."

"Well it's a great opportunity. Have you been crying?"

"Yes Daniel, as much as I am looking forward to this assignment. It was still difficult to resign from SG-1."

"And, Jack?"

"All of you." She leaned over and hugged him. She could do that with Daniel. No suspicious eyes to worry about and there was no danger of her reveling the true reason to him. He wrapped his arms around her. "We'll miss you." He pulled back to look at her. "Who's going to protect me and side with me when Jack wants to blow something up he shouldn't?"

She rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine. You can handle him."

"Sam, I really am going to miss you. It won't be the same."

"I know, but you'll get someone else on the team and before you know it you'll forget all about me out there in space somewhere."

"Not a chance. I'd take you out to dinner, but were schedule to leave at like 4:00am tomorrow. I have a feeling based on his current mood that Jack is going to be crankier than normal on tomorrow's mission so I need to be ready. You're going to be gone when we get back aren't you."

"Yeah." Daniel had a suspicion that there was something else going on. "Sam is there something you want to talk about?" she nodded and he left it alone.

He hugged her again. "I'm really going to miss you Major Samantha Carter, PhD. You be very careful out there and if you ever need us, you know where we are." Hw looked her straight in the eye. "Really Sam if you ever need me, you know where I am."

"I know Daniel. Thank you." It was a thank you for everything. For always being there when she needed a friend and for being a sounding board and for not asking her too many questions this time. A thank you for teasing her until she realized how she really felt about Jack, for pushing her into that trip to Vegas, because she was still glad that she was married to Jack O'Neill even if loving him complicated things so much.

"Sam what are you smiling about?" Daniel asked. She really needed to be more careful with that thought.

--------------

Teal'c came by sometime later.

"Major Carter."

"Hi Teal'c."

"I have come to say goodbye as your journey takes you on a seperate path."

"Yes Teal'c it is."

She hugged him and he hugged her back.

"If you need anything….anything at all."

She nodded and just stood there for a moment. "Take care of them for me?"

"I will. Be careful SamanthaCarter. I will miss you."

They let go of the embrace, "I'll miss you too Teal'c."

She worried for all the times Daniel would stray too far and she wouldn't be there to call him back, and that there would be no one to laugh at Jack's jokes, for the times when Teal'c wanted someone to go to the movies with, for the times Daniel would let things get to him and there would be no one to talk to him, and when Jack would just need someone to listen, someone he trusted and she hoped they would take good care of each other.

--------------

Jack normally slept on base when they gated out early in the morning, but he knew if he stayed he would go and talk to her so after he told Teal'c and Daniel he went home.

She stayed up late, going through the things in her office. What she needed to take, pack for storage, or leave for the next person who used this lab. If she stayed up late enough maybe she wouldn't hear the klaxons sound. Maybe they would slip out without her awareness.

But it was no use. She heard Daniel's door shut down the hall and it woke her. She stared at the door and saw his shadow flicker the light under the door as he walked pass. It was quiet again, but she did not sleep she just kept staring at the door waiting for the sound that would tell her they were gone, that he was gone. And, she wondered again how long it would be before she would stop crying.

Then she saw the light flicker under the door and she could see someone was standing in front of the door. She knew it was him. He didn't knock, he wouldn't. "I love you." She said barely above a whisper.

She saw him slide something under the door and then leave. When the klaxons blared she turned on the light and ran to the door to find the note.

Sam,  
If I held you for just a moment, I wouldn't let you go.  
If I opened my mouth I would ask you to stay.  
_Someday_, J

And, then she cried again and finally fell asleep. When she woke, she got ready for the day and ran through her checklist. Everything in her house was going into storage except for the few items she brought to the base to take with her. A leasing company would manage the property for her. Her Dad would go see Mark as soon as he could and try to find some plausible explanation. She was taking a photo album and some books, her laptop was loaded with everything she needed. She brought a variety of different sized BDU's and an old Airforce t-shirt she stole from Jack in Vegas. Thor beamed her out later that day.

--------------

Jack sat at his desk, trying to focus on the mission report at hand. His pencil lead broke from the force of his hand. "Not again." He had gone through four pencils; only one left in the cup on his desk. As he took it out he noticed a small piece of paper sticking out of the edge of the frame holding a picture taken of SG-1 on a team night. Sam had given him the picture for Christmas last year. He pulled out the folded piece of paper and it simply said. "Jack, I love you too." He was a simple man. They were all the words he needed, he could do this until she came home.

-------

This is the prologue for another story of mine When it's Quiet. Which starts when Sam returns more than four years later. For the rest of the story see When it's Quiet.


End file.
